Professors: Time to Reconsider Turnitin Anti-Plagiarism Tool

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Turnitin has received its share of complaints regarding its accuracy, although it remains the standard bearer for plagiarism detection. Likewise, some writing professors have long said they fear reliance on the service has led colleges to abandon efforts to teach students about academic integrity.

However, as reported in Inside Higher Ed, a nearly 4,000-word essay published last week -- which has attracted considerable attention since going online -- has reopened debate surrounding Turnitin. While tapping into growing concerns about the control and use of people’s data by corporations, the authors question Turnitin’s entire business model, as well as the effects on academia brought on by its widespread popularity.

The essay was published by Hybrid Pedagogy, an online journal affiliated with Digital Pedagogy Lab. To read more about the Turnitin essay, click here.